U.S. to move 9,000 Marines from southern Japan

TOKYO —The United States is to shift 9,000 Marines out of Japan in a move Washington hopes will ease sometimes fractious relations with its ally
over the huge American military presence.

The redeployment, which will see troops moved to Guam, Hawaii and Australia, will go ahead regardless of any progress on the moving of a busy airbase
on Okinawa that had originally been a key plank of a deal with the US.

In a joint statement issued in Washington and Tokyo, the two sides said they remained committed to the relocation of the Futenma base from its present
urban location to a coastal spot --a move that is heavily resisted in Okinawa.

The Japanese around the bases have protested us and had a love/hate thing going long before Fukushima happened. School girl rapes...and other little
things make for real pissed off locals and the Japanese seem to have real long memories for some things. Oh, it only happened a few times over many
many years, but that's enough when the media make it super-news.

I seem to recall the troop shifts to Guam being talked about well before Fuku as well?

Thats true, but why move now. Protests from the Japanese for us having a Military Presence there has been going on probably since before I was
born. Why the quick response from the Military right now. Interesting to say the least??

I considered both the things you mentioned. I guess now was a good a time as any to follow through with a move. However, the latter would also be the
ideal hush story IF there was perhaps another reason for the move.

I am sure our Aussie friends would love the additional American troops

I seem to recall the troop shifts to Guam being talked about well before Fuku as well?

Yes, I will second that notion. From what I can remember, this has been being negotiated since well before Fukushima. Took a while to work out the
details as they were just trying to figure out who the real enemy is. Little do they know - The true enemy is themselves.

I came into your post thinking it had something to do w/ Fukushima....to my surprise it wasn't...but...your opinion was...lol I have a friend that's
in the Air Force in Okinawa ....I'm going to ask if they've heard anything on the AF end...I'll let you know...

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